I’m just horrible with crafts or artistry on small objects. Big walls, sure, but small surfaces? Can’t do it — and I’ve tried, trust. Which is why when I saw The Art of Ebru post over at one of my fave blogs, Art’s the Answer, I was overtaken by the sheer mastery the blog’s writer, Theresa Cheek, has of the art form.
Ebru is the process of floating ink on water to create marbleized patterns. A fellow decorative painter in Texas, Theresa shows examples of Ebru on different surfaces, talks about her collection, demonstrates the process and showcases some of her work. That’s just so impressive. My Mother, who is a creative genius with small objects, thinks it may come around for me eventually. I’m not so sure — but I do hope you enjoy Theresa’s artistry. Have a great day, dear Reader!
Artist Sheri Hoeger
Many years ago I heard of The Mad Stencilist and thought that was such a joyful name for a business. I had to look into the company and discovered that it was headed by the wonderfully talented Sheri Hoeger — and to this day, I admire her amazing creativity, professionalism and warm personality. Sheri has been working in the decorative painting industry for over 22 years. Her main focus has been residential interiors and she’s worked on nearly every imaginable surface from walls to floors, fabric, furniture and accessories.
In 1993, she began teaching and launched her pre-cut stencil line as The Mad Stencilist at IDAL. Her husband, Hugh, joined her full-time to run the management and marketing segments of the business in 1998. Shortly thereafter, Say What? Lettering, the first custom self-adhesive stencil masking system available to the decorative painting community, was launched and it now encompasses the Beyond Words Decorative Designs. Sheri has also been an advisor for The Faux Forum since its inception, made numerous television appearances and has also created instructional DVDs for our industry. I’m so happy that we were able to e-chat about her art, hobbies and a bit more about her studio and businesses.
The drapery was painted with an airbrush. The stencil was cut from acetate and used a paint and pull process on the wall.
SH: As my artistic skills evolved, I learned to use many different materials and techniques and have branched out into fine art, painting in acrylic and pastel. I especially love trompe l’oeil murals and capturing the essence of personalities in my animal portraits.
RG: You’re also very well known for your airbrushing…
SH: It’s not something I could have planned. I was introduced to the airbrush when I worked as a manicurist in the early 80’s. A friend showed me the traditional dry brush method of stenciling at about the time that multiple overlay stencils first became available. I loved the soft look of the airbrushing combined with the crisp edge of the stencil and it fascinates me to this day. In 1988, I began making my own stencils to match my clients’ décor and this, combined with airbrushing, became my ‘signature style’. Of course, I still use stencils and airbrush frequently, and enjoy developing new ways of using them.T'loose is Sheri's standard poodle and the dog love of her life. (Pastel)
RG: Do you have other go-to materials you use?
SH: Whenever possible I like to work from my own photographs. I take hundreds of photographs of whatever I happen to come across and file them by subject in my computer. I also love Dover Publications because they publish archives of historic ornament, illustration, old catalogs and other art resources that are copyright free and reasonably priced.
Handpainted using a wet T-shirt. I think this would be the best kind of entry in a Wet T-Shirt contest.
RG: Professionally, who are some of your inspirations?
SH: So many artists have influenced my development! Jan Dressler and Dee Keller were very inspiring, and both were very helpful when I was starting out. Pascal Amblard, Sean Crosby and Jennifer Carrasco are fantastic. William Cochran is incredibly inspiring, both as an artist and a human being. I’ve studied with William and had the chance to work with him on his project The Dreaming in Frederick, MD. It was a double pleasure to work on it along side my son, Ryan.
The landscape was painted with an airbrush using natural foliage as a mask. When grouped together, your eye makes it into a positive. The column was marbled and gilded.
RG: Are there any art books or artist biographies that you recommend for us to read?
SH: Like many artists, I have an addiction to art books. One of the first artists I was really inspired by is Lyn le Grice. Her books The Stenciled House and The Art of Stencilling were instrumental in my falling in love with stenciling, and that was where I first heard about SALI (now IDAL). I love all of books by Graham Rust and they have inspired quite a few of my murals. The Stencilled Home by Helen Morris is really great, and The Art of Faux by Pierre Finklestein. One of the most useful ones I have come across is Perspective Without Pain by Phil Metzger. Carolina D’Ayala Valva’s book on Grottesca is fantastic, and I can’t wait for the release of Pascal Amblard’s upcoming book.
RG: What are some misconceptions about art that you encounter?
SH: The idea that many people have that they “can’t” draw or paint. I think most of those people have been unfortunately convinced of that by insensitive comments, resulting in a fear of trying. I don’t discount that there is a degree of “talent” that gives a person some pre-disposition for success in art, but the most talented artists I know work incredibly hard, devoting countless hours with a persistence that is mind-boggling. I believe that art is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Skills can be learned and perfected with practice and I’ve seen many determined beginners produce incredible work that surprised themselves and their teachers. I believe that being creative is a basic human need, whether it’s in art or math or science or cooking. That’s one of the reasons our business is so satisfying. We help give people the tools and opportunity to be creative beyond their expectations.
Airbrushed using the Renaissance Border from The Mad Stencilist Collection.
RG: Speaking of being “creative beyond expectations”, I’ve heard that you are a musician as well! What are your preferences? Do you play in an actual band?
SH: I love an eclectic array of acoustic music. Hugh and I have had the joy of playing music together for fun and semi-professionally for many years. We play a lot of Bluegrass, Americana and Soft Rock/Folksy stuff. We enjoy harmony singing and Hugh plays guitar, mandolin, bass and a little banjo. I play bass. Favorites are Alison Krauss and Union Station, Chris Thile (now in the Punch Brothers), Chris Stuart and Backcountry, Dan Crary, Laurie Lewis, Nanci Griffith and Tim O’Brien.
RG: That sounds amazing — I love the fact that both you and your husband enjoy performing together. Can’t get any better than that!
In 2002, Sheri and Hugh moved to a two-acre property near Placerville, CA in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, just East of Sacramento. They wanted to keep their business home-based and also have a studio that combined both in a beautiful, spacious setting. Their studio, Big Oak Arts, offers workshops in fine and decorative arts. In addition to Sheri’s classes, they will have Pascal Amblard teaching 3 workshops in September (his first visit to the West Coast) and William Cochran will return to teach his Trompe l’oeil Mastery Series in March 2011. Check out their schedule here. Sheri is also presenting a recent project at the upcoming PDPA Education Summit in Golden, CO. So many great things going on and coming up, no? Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed this interview — and I’d like to thank Sheri for taking the time to e-chat. I do look forward to seeing her studio AND hearing her play. Please be sure to click into all the sites — there’s so much good stuff to see and read about. Have a great weekend!
Green is a color that signifies life — growth, renewal, healthiness. It is a color that denotes nature and balance and can usually be found within a calm color scheme. Used well, it can help alleviate anxiety and relax both the mind and body. Many famous phrases revolve around the color, such as “going green”, “green with envy”, “green-lighting a project” or “it’s not easy being green”. Mmm…maybe that last one not so much. ;) In entertainment, there is even a “green room” — it is the area a performer can be found waiting until his or her time to go on stage. Interestingly, it is rarely painted green.
Sensational Color has wonderful further information on the color green. In the meantime, I found a few catalog and magazine images that showcase this beautiful color.
Wallpaper or Decorative Artwork
Venetian Plaster on Accent Walls
Unexpected Areas
Overall
I hope you’ve been inspired to Go Green! Until next time, dear Reader!
Image Sources: Architectural Digest, Interior Design, Benjamin Moore, Phoenix Home & Garden and Elle Decor
As you read this, we’re in the midst of an unusual (and yet, so so cool) finish with oversized flowers for a hotel project. Pics soon, promise. It brought to mind to give you two of my fave images using flower motifs. You like?
I’ve used this image as inspiration before — in fact, it helped fuel a 5 a.m. “a-ha” moment. Source Unknown.
Pretty, no? Not only a larger than life design but also with a linear flourish. Source Unknown.
Inspiration can also be found in other surfaces, such as textiles and papers:
Antique prints can prove a great visual resource. Image from Architectural Digest.
I especially like how flowers can adapt to any design style — here, within the Arts & Crafts movement of the early 20th century. Textiles featured in House & Garden years ago.
By the way, I’ve written about Flower Power before in case you’d like to see more images. Have you worked with a flower motif in an unusual way? Would love to hear about it!
I subscribe to a lot of newsletters since I like keeping updated on the latest and greatest. I received the August newsletter by Golden on their Proceed System and in it, there was a mention of a Finishes & Techniques area of their site wherein they give out complimentary recipes on finishes using their products. It’s nice to have freebies like that! The newsletter mentions that they are going to start adding more recipes to this area very soon — so keep an eye out. In addition, there is a video section produced by the Faux Design Center.
Embossed Glass Beads
We’ve tried their glaze and it has one of the longest open times available. A friend of ours loves to use their texture products prior to his decorative work. If you’d like to read more about the Proceed Systems product line, click to read their story and see a list of retailers. The Faux Expo in Orlando also has an upcoming class. By the way, the site also has a comprehensive resource section that provides great links for artists — everything from publications to associations to material sources. Have fun learning new recipes!
Hey Fauxology readers!
Suzanne Rosales here, just dropping by to say hello and tell you about this great article I found. Many of you may design and work on your own website and if that is the case, this article is a must read!
Smashing Magazine (one of my FAV sites to read) featured an article regarding applying Interior Design principles to the Web. It talks about incorporating principles such as balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, color, texture, and lines to your site just like you would incorporate it into your interior design or while planning your finishes.
Below are examples of balance and emphasis applied to web design. They suggest to not only find balance symmetrically and asymmetrically but to find radial balance in your design elements. Another great tip: Having emphasis on a design piece. For instance, I love the example of the colorful dog on the website (fourth one in the series below). It instantly catches your visitor’s and brings them into your site to find out more. (Tip: You can zoom in on the pics by clicking on them.)
You can read the article from Smashing Magazine and see all their great examples by clicking here – Applying Interior Design Principles To The Web. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Sincerely,
Suzanne Rosales
Whenever I mention I live in Orlando, the first thing that comes up is “theme parks”. Yes, they are exciting, but there’s also beautiful neighborhoods and non-touristy areas to enjoy as well. One of these is the city of Winter Park, FL. The Hubs and I recently spent a Saturday in that area. Well, I just lied — it really was a few months ago. There was tons of pics to whittle down, fix and then write a post around them…you see where procrastination would rear up, right? Right. So, on that recent day, we spent it walking, seeing the architecture, taking a scenic boat tour and finally ending up at a wonderful local restaurant.
FROM OUR WALK
Winter Park began its start as an art and literary colony in 1881, according to the Winter Park Historical Association. Today, it is home to museums, lakes, canals, parks and a charming shopping district. I like how the roads differ and the exteriors, too — as well as little shots of color from stairwells, arched entrances and tiles.
The old Alabama Hotel -- now condominiums. Would be nice to come home to an ivy covered residence, no?
I don't believe this is faux...
FROM OUR BOAT
We took a pontoon ride on Lake Osceola from Scenic Bout Tours and had a chance to see another side to Winter Park. We passed the Kraft Azalea Gardens, Rollins College (gorgeous Spanish-Mediterranean architecture on campus) and the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. They gave a great history of the city and what I remember most is that they noted that Mr. Rogers was inspired to write his signature song while living in Winter Park, FL. (He has a music degree from Rollins.)
The Pontoon
(above) I find it amusing (and yet so admirable) to design the boathouse with the architecture of your home. Click on them to zoom and you’ll see how beautiful the effect is.
A final view of one of the canals.
Hope you’ve enjoyed Winter Park, FL — and that you’ll consider taking a detour from the theme parks the next time you happen to be in Central Florida. Have a wonderful day!
A few weeks ago, we profiled the wonderful artist Lynne Rutter. She writes an incredible blog, The Ornamentalist, and I look forward to reading each post she writes. The latest one, A House Inspired by a Jasperware Teapot, talks about how she took inspiration from an unusual source — and created an exterior masterpiece for her clients. Here’s the Before…
…and you’ll have to click on the post link to see the results. You’ll love it, trust. (Jasperware certainly gets around since I’ve also found it to be inspirational.) BTW, in the post Lynne also includes information on how black can be a serious contender for the exterior of your home. I kid you not — I’d slather it on if the architecture of my house would allow it. (Sadly, no.) Have a great day!
I once blogged about architect David Ling and enjoyed how he called rusted or patinated surfaces as having “layers of history”. That’s a great way to describe spaces that have seen a lot of living and love but haven’t experienced it themselves. At least, that’s my romanticized version of it. Here are some images — please note that you can click on them to zoom:
INTERIORS
Sotto Sotto Restaurant in Atlanta, GA as featured in the Atlanta Travel Guide
Love the distressing on panels (left) and Indonesian doors (right) as featured in Elle Decor
FURNITURE AND SUCH
(Sources Unknown)
EXTERIORS
Faded reds and pinks in Buenos Aires as shot for Oprah magazine by Todd Marshard
Giambatista Valli photographed in Rome’s Palazzo dei Conservatori Museum by Henry Bourne for Elle Decor
~~~
When I’ve traveled to countries that have quite a bit of history, I’ve marvel at the weathered surfaces and have expressed my appreciation. Of course, they see it as something that needs fixing and not something to crow about but hey, I find it beautiful. Hope you had a wonderful start to the week — see you soon, dear Reader!
I stumbled onto my decorative painting career when I roomed with a film scenic artist. Her home was right out of a movie set (with props, too) and to this day I smile at the memories of my time living there. She taught me how production designers and scenic artists work to create a particular mood and how spaces are truly tailored to fit their characters. If only everyone adopted that theory and brought it to their own homes.
Since then, I’ve paid attention to the sets and design of the movies I watch. I also love to know about the artists that create so much of this work. One artist was Albert Whitlock, one of the film industry’s most skilled illusionists. Here’s a fascinating 1-minute excerpt from the educational film, Albert Whitlock: A Master of Illusion.
His specialty, Matte Painting, refers to the visual effect of creating the background scenery of a film. For instance, these visuals:
Painted Mountains in the Background (Movie - Earthquake)
Can you see where the set ends and the painted background begins? It's tough! (Movie - History of the World: Part 1)
Albert Whitlock’s painted backdrops can be seen in over 500 films and television shows and he is a two-time Oscar winner. He is generally known to have been the best of all the matte painters. He was able to create scenery that was impossible to film realistically, such as periods in the past (like 1930′s Chicago), disasters (the Hindenburg) or because they were too expensive to build (a mountaintop city). The trompe l’oeil work had to be masterful since the better you were, the less your work was able to be detected when seen with live-action photography. In fact, directors used to check with him first before they took on a project — they wanted to make sure the visual effects could be achieved within the budget and scope of the production.
Incredibly, Mr. Whitlock referred to himself as a craftsman rather than an artist. He was unassuming and sought to demystify his craft, saying that it was “something that could be learned by anybody willing to make the effort”. Syd Dutton, who used to be his assistant, says “I remember one beautiful landscape Al painted that was supposed to be a whole bunch of weeds, chaparral in California. When I looked at it up close, it looked like Persian writing — just squiggles — but when you stood back, it looked just like chaparral. Al always said, ‘Paint is the effect of light, not the object itself.’“
Mr. Whitlock passed away in 1999. Here is an 8-minute tribute to him created by Craig Barron, of the Visual Effects Society. It’s educational and inspiring (and has Mel Brooks, another fave of mine prominently featured as well). Rest in Peace and Beauty, Mr. Whitlock.
Interested in learning more about the art form? Check out The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting. Many thanks to the following blogs and sites for information and visuals: Rays in Blue, IMDB, Film Reference, The ASC and YouTube. I hope you’ve enjoyed this feature!
